Proverbs 13:20

“The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm.” Proverbs 13:20

Have you considered who you hang out with? Are you aware of the people you surround yourself with? What does the life of those you keep company with look like? Do you struggle with making decisions? What are the outcomes of your choices?

This proverb give us such fantastic counsel. If you want to be wise, then you must surround yourself with those who are wise! Who you allow into your life will have an impact on your character, spiritual life, and decision making. The people you engage with and share life with, will influence you.

You will become what you are around. Take a moment and assess who the closest 5 to 10 companions you have are. Look at their lives. Where are they spiritually? Do they have a prayer life? Do they study God’s word? What impact do they have on others? How is their finances? Where are their passions? Are they informed? Do they educate themselves on topics before they speak? Are they successful? These are important questions. The answers to them will help you become aware of what kind of a person you are allowing to shape you.

The second part of this verse is that you will suffer harm with friends who are fools. Why? Because their counsel is wrong. Conversing with them is unproductive and a waste of your time. There is no knowledge revealed or understanding released. These people make rash and emotionally driven decisions. They don’t think before they speak and they are motivated by their flesh. Take a look at their actions and the results that stem from them.

Foolish people find themselves in debt they can’t get out of, marriages they can’t mend, court cases they can’t resolve, and a lascivious life they can’t find the brakes to end. These lives result in bankruptcy, divorce, lawsuits, and addictions. Some of the emotional results might be depression, anxiety, loneliness, and enemies.

Are these the people you want to reflect? Imitate? Become?

You have to weed out the fools in your life. That means to start removing people you know are not wise. People who can cause great harm by being involved in personal relationships with you.

Here are a couple of scriptures to help solidify this point.

Psalms 1:1 “How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers!”

1 Corinthians 15:33 “Bad company corrupts good morals.”

This can be very difficult because some of the people you will have to distance yourself from are long time friends or family members. But, we are called to love everyone, not to keep company with them.